United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2025
This bill reauthorizes and modifies the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Integrated Ocean Observation System (IOOS). (The IOOS is made up of radar, gliders, buoys, vessels, and different models and forecasts that collect data points to monitor and report on conditions along the nation's coasts and in marine waters.) Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the IOOS through FY2030. The bill also directs the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (which coordinates interagency planning, budgeting, and assessments for the system) to develop requirements and processes for regional offices and federally funded projects of the agencies of the committee to collaborate with the regional coastal observing systems for data sharing at regional levels.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2025
This joint resolution provides that the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, was ratified by three-fourths of the states and is therefore a valid constitutional amendment, regardless of any time limit that was in the original proposal. The Equal Rights Amendment was originally proposed to the states in 1972. The original proposal included a deadline for ratification of March 22, 1979; Congress subsequently extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Although the requisite 38 states have ratified the amendment, three of these states did so after the deadlines, and five states subsequently rescinded their ratifications. The status of the amendment has been the subject of litigation.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2025
Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act This bill increases the maximum amount authorized under the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant program to $10,000 for veterans with a service-connected disability and $5,000 for those with disabilities that are not service-connected. The HISA grant program provides medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a veteran's (or service member's) primary residence for specified purposes (e.g., allowing for entrance to their home). The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the maximum dollar amount of the grant in accordance with inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2025
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that every individual has the right to emergency health care, including abortion care.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act This bill specifies certain requirements for private health insurers regarding coverage of individuals with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who are also covered under Medicare. In particular, the bill specifies that insurers may not limit benefits, including limiting network composition, in a manner that will affect ESRD Medicare beneficiaries differently compared to others without ESRD. The bill additionally specifies that insurers are not required to include a particular renal dialysis provider or a particular number of such providers as part of their networks.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2025 This bill extends the specialized rate increase for Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas for an additional three years (until January 1, 2028).
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Keep the Watchdogs Running Act This bill authorizes a federal office of inspector general (OIG) to continue performing its duties during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown). During a lapse in appropriations, the OIG may obligate funds (1) at the rate of operations and under the authority and conditions provided in the most recently enacted appropriations act, and (2) to perform its duties with respect to any program that continues during the lapse in appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act This bill specifically includes pharmacy services and home infusion drugs that are administered without a pump as part of covered home infusion therapy under Medicare. The bill also allows nurses and physician assistants to establish and review the plan of care for home infusion therapy, and it specifies that payment may be made regardless of whether a practitioner is physically present in the home at the time the drug is administered.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Dependency and indemnity compensation is a monthly payment made to eligible survivors (i.e., spouses, parents, or children) of (1) certain veterans who died as a result of a service-connected condition; (2) service members killed while on active military duty or active or inactive duty for training; or (3) veterans who did not die from a service-connected condition, but were totally disabled by a service-connected disability for a certain period of time. The bill also (1) reduces, from 10 years to 5 years, the period of time that certain veterans must have been rated totally disabled due to a service-connected disability in order for a survivor to qualify for benefits; and (2) specifies the amount that is payable to survivors of veterans who were rated totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2025
This resolution recognizes domestic and global progress towards ending the HIV epidemic and calls for additional efforts, with a particular focus on reducing HIV-related vulnerabilities of women and girls.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2025
25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and the establishment of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. The sale of all coins issued under this bill must include a surcharge to be paid to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center to support operations and maintenance. However, if the issuance of this commemorative coin exceeds certain annual limits, no surcharge may be included.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2025
American Teacher Act This bill establishes grants to increase the minimum salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers. It also authorizes a national campaign regarding the value of the teaching profession. First, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award four-year grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to establish a minimum annual salary of $60,000 (to be adjusted annually for inflation) for these teachers. Second, the bill directs ED to award grants to eligible SEAs to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the annual base salary of teachers. Finally, the bill authorizes ED to carry out a national campaign to (1) increase awareness about the importance of teachers and the value of the teaching profession, (2) encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching as a professional career, and (3) diversify the pool of individuals who enter the teaching profession.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2025 This bill requires congressional approval for a presidential import adjustment due to a national security threat from an import and limits the adjustments to certain goods that are essential to national security. Specifically, the bill limits the President's authority for such import adjustments to goods related to the development, maintenance, or protection of military equipment, energy resources, or critical infrastructure essential to national security. The bill specifies that the term national security (1) means the protection of the United States from foreign aggression, and (2) does not otherwise include the protection of the general welfare of the United States. The bill requires the President to submit a proposal to Congress to adjust imports. Congress must then approve the proposal with a joint resolution before an import adjustment takes effect. Under current law, the President determines whether any adjustment of an import is necessary and must submit to Congress the reasons for any action taken or not taken. Currently, there is a congressional disapproval mechanism to override presidential actions related to petroleum imports. The bill also requires the Department of Defense (currently, the Department of Commerce) to investigate the effect of these imports on national security and submit a report before the President determines whether an adjustment to an import is necessary, establishes requirements for a process to grant requests to exclude certain goods from import adjustments, and applies retroactively to any proposed action taken up to six years before the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025 This bill excludes from gross income, for federal income tax purposes, payments received from a state catastrophe loss mitigation program by an individual for the purpose of making improvements to the individual’s property that mitigate the impact of certain disasters. Under current law, individuals may exclude from gross income, for federal income tax purposes, payments received under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or the National Flood Insurance Act (as in effect on April 15, 2005) for hazard mitigation. (Some exceptions apply.) Further, under current law, such payments do not increase the basis of the property for which the payments are made. The bill allows a similar exclusion from gross income for certain payments received by an individual from a program established by a state (or any political subdivision or instrumentality of the state), a joint powers authority, or an entity that was established by the state to provide essential or basic property insurance and is regulated by the state. Under the bill, such payments must be for making improvements to the individual’s property for the sole purpose of reducing damage that would be done to the property by a windstorm, earthquake, flood, or wildfire. Finally, the bill provides that such payments from a state catastrophe loss mitigation program do not increase the basis of the property for which the payments are made.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
This resolution requests that the President provide to the House of Representatives any document or communication related to interactions between the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Social Security Administration (SSA), any reduction in SSA staff or offices occurring in 2025, and other specified topics. Specifically, the resolution requests all documents and communications that refer or relate to access to or usage of SSA information technology systems by DOGE, Elon Musk, any member of his team, or any individual coordinating with DOGE; visits to SSA offices by DOGE, Elon Musk, or any member of his team; SSA compliance with specified executive orders issued by President Donald Trump (e.g., relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies); the number of calls per day to the national toll-free telephone number maintained by SSA; the number of calls and visits per day to SSA field offices and card centers; the closure or consolidation of SSA offices in 2025; and reductions in SSA staff in 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act This bill prohibits political appointees and special government employees from accessing Social Security data systems that contain personally identifiable information about Social Security beneficiaries. Specifically, political appointees and special government employees may not access systems maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that issue or record Social Security account numbers, that are used to determine eligibility for or to pay Social Security benefits, or that otherwise contain personally identifiable information about individuals receiving or applying for benefits. The bill also establishes a civil right of action for an individual whose information was negligently accessed or disclosed in violation of these provisions. The individual may bring suit against the United States if the violator was a U.S. employee or officer, or against the violator if they were not a U.S. employee or officer. Such a claim must be brought within two years of the affected individual’s discovery of the violation. Upon a finding of liability, defendants are liable for specified monetary damages. If an individual is criminally charged or subject to proposed disciplinary or adverse action by a federal or state agency for having accessed or disclosed information in violation of these provisions, SSA must notify the individual whose information was accessed or disclosed of the violation as soon as practicable. Finally, the bill requires the SSA Office of the Inspector General to investigate and report to Congress on any unauthorized access to or disclosure of information in a beneficiary data system.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act This bill temporarily prohibits the closure or consolidation of, or other limitation of access to, Social Security Administration (SSA) offices and stations, and sets forth procedural requirements for future changes to office and station availability. Specifically, the bill prohibits through at least January 21, 2029, the closure or consolidation of, or other limitation of access to, SSA field offices, hearing offices, and resident stations. On or after that date, SSA must submit a report to Congress justifying its process for selecting stations and offices to be closed, consolidated, or limited. The prohibition is lifted 180 days after the submission of such report. The bill also sets forth requirements that must be met before SSA may close, consolidate, or otherwise limit access to an office or station after the initial moratorium expires. At least 120 days before such a change takes effect, SSA must provide public notice to individuals in affected areas, including information on how lost access to SSA services will be replaced. SSA must also conduct at least two public hearings on each such change. Further, SSA must provide a hearing to any individual who makes a timely showing that a determination to close, consolidate, or limit an office or station is arbitrary, capricious, or deficient in another specified manner. Finally, a closure, consolidation, or limitation may not result in the total number of SSA offices or stations falling below the number of such offices or stations in operation on January 20, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if, during the previous 25 years: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state; 10 or more violations occurred, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as redistricting. States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. The bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2025
Original Black History Month Resolution of 2025 This resolution recognizes the importance of commemorating Black History Month as it acknowledges the achievements of Black Americans throughout the nation's history.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2025
Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Affordable PLUS Repayment Options for Parents Act of 2025 This bill allows borrowers of Parent PLUS Loans to repay their loans under an income-contingent repayment (ICR) plan or an income-based repayment (IBR) plan. Under current law, borrowers of Parent PLUS Loans are only eligible for the following repayment plans: the standard repayment plan, the graduated repayment plan, and the extended repayment plan. These borrowers are generally prohibited from repaying their loans under ICR or IBR plans. However, borrowers may become eligible for the ICR plan upon consolidation of their loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan. This bill removes these restrictions to allow a borrower of a Parent PLUS Loan to repay the loan under an ICR plan (even without consolidation) or an IBR plan. The bill allows these expanded repayment options to be available to new and existing borrowers of Parent PLUS Loans.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.) Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2025 or the PAST Act of 2025 This bill increases protections for horses at shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions (horse events) to prevent the practice of soring horses. Generally, the soring of horses includes certain actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands existing soring prohibitions under the Horse Protection Act, including by banning the use of certain action devices (e.g., nonprotective boots) on specified horse breeds. The bill also requires soring inspectors at horse events to be assigned by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture rather than appointed by the management of horse events. APHIS must also license, train, and oversee inspectors to detect and diagnose soring at such events. Additionally, the bill increases penalties for violations of the act. It also directs APHIS to disqualify horses found to be sore from being shown or exhibited for specified periods. Further, APHIS may permanently disqualify violators from participating in horse events after the third or any subsequent violation. By way of background, APHIS issued a rule in 2024 to increase efforts to protect horses from soring practices. However, in 2025, a court vacated parts of the rule as exceeding APHIS' statutory authority (e.g., prohibiting the use of certain action devices) while deeming other parts acceptable (e.g., establishing APHIS-designated inspectors). APHIS subsequently delayed the effective date of the rule to December 31, 2026.